UPCL Cricket - Week 23 Part 3

We're back to finish up a prolonged Week 23, leading off the final segment with...

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades return home once again, hoping to slow down the recent surge from the Monarchs. Panda inflicted quite a bit of damage from the lead-off position, hammering 817 right away for Southern to take an early lead. Jasmine couldn't do much in response for Freedom, hitting just 146 as her team will start from behind. Hoppy showed a very aggressive swing, which only worked for a little bit before she got knocked out at 192 for the Monarchs. Stinky made a fairly significant dent in the deficit with 545 for the Cascades on this turn to get them closer. Pounce fought off the danger for Southern, slashing another 796 to restore their lead well. Roxy stumbled at 200 for Freedom, likely assuring them of the loss now. Shannon stormed forward at pace with another 895 for the Monarchs, bringing their total to an even 2700 in the presumed victory. Nikolai grabbed 458 for the Cascades at the end, leaving them with 1349 in the loss. Southern's double-up work got them to 17-23, while Freedom is 13-24 after another defeat.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: The Spiders begin a four-game home stand right as the Flames wrap up a five-game road trip in this meeting. Crystal could have kept going for Queens were it not for the errant backhand she had to cut her down at 627 in a good opening turn. Shadow didn't have the prettiest game for Web City, but he hauled in 744 to give them the initial lead anyway. Paige suffered a deflection to end her turn early at 113 for the Flames, unable to cover the small deficit. Ted answered strong for the Spiders, carving out 695 to pad their lead a bit more. Violetta countered with 764 for Queens on her turn, covering the deficit, but only just. Shiny made a bit of a mess out of giving Web City the lead again, hitting only 179 to set up a close finish in the near future. Max had 287 for the Flames at the end, leaving them with a vulnerable final score of 1791. Dani did just enough with 201, giving the Spiders the win on 1819 total. Web City had to really fight for this win, going to 19-24 on the year, while Queens takes an unlucky fall to 25-18.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: The Sharpshooters end their Southwestern Division schedule while starting a five-game home stand against the Prestige. Acorn started very well with 770 for Lighton, giving them an excellent first attack for this rivalry game. Chris couldn't get his swing aligned in time to deal with all the deflections against him, ending at a paltry 84 for Capital City. Spirit had a similar struggle for the Prestige, and she fell out of her turn at just 45 points. Missy also had a messy turn for the Sharpshooters, taking just 184 to make the deficit slightly smaller at the halfway point. Twinkie I brought organization back into the game, hitting 399 to give Lighton a slight boost. Sprinkles chipped away at the deficit a bit more for Capital City, picking up 519, but they aren't all that close with a player each to go. Salmo failed to secure the game for the Prestige, bowing out with 105 to give them a final of 1319. Nicole came frustratingly close for the Sharpshooters, her 521 putting them just short at 1308 in the loss. Lighton gets the cheeky win to go to 20-31, while Capital City is 25-25, and finishes the division slate at 2-8.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills play their second of a four-game home stand when they bring in the slumping Defenders. Bianca can be happy with her performance for Southridge, striking 455 in a good start for the rookie. Easter replied by pummeling 873 for Todavía on their opening turn, giving them a sizable initial lead for the game. Debby couldn't recover very well for the Defenders, hitting only 102 as they fall farther behind. Sierra is still experiencing some home troubles, ending on 117 to lightly add to the Stills lead at the halfway mark this time. Stephanie did well for Southridge, covering the deficit with her 499 to make things a bit more interesting again. Sparkles stumbled to 176 for Todavía this time, keeping them narrowly ahead as the hosts will hope they can hold on late. Hughbert barely covered the deficit the other way for the Defenders, his 126 leaving the visitors at a total of 1182. Bells chipped 270 for the Stills at the end, giving them 1436 in the gutsy win. Todavía gets a boost to get to 23-19, while Southridge sinks to 18-29.

FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks are back home for a game against the similarly-ranked Tradewinds, with both teams currently well outside the playoffs. Tigerette had a bit of an adventurous turn, but ended at 602 before she could be called for a mandatory replay, giving Commerce a good start. Chelsea tried to reply with pace for Eastside, but an early deflection felled her at 60 in a poor opener. Ice Cream picked up a simple 271 for the Tradewinds, adding lightly to their lead. Taylor rallied out of nowhere for the Sharks, churning out 850 to give them the lead at the halfway mark. Lionel weakened the Commerce offense again with his 255, putting them ahead but in a vulnerable position. Niki grew the Eastside lead a little more with 425 on her turn, giving them a noticeable advantage late in the game. Lorde's slump continued, with the Tradewinds getting 138 from her to take the loss with a total of 1266. Paps didn't have the most graceful turn for the Sharks, but he managed 509 to bring their winning score to 1844. Eastside gets the boost to 19-26, while Commerce plunges to 19-28.

Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds make a trip home to face another struggling team when they bring in the Cascades. Jasmine served up another dud with 102 for Freedom, clearly not used to having such a taxing week of games. Tigerette shot back with 1259 for Commerce, a massive performance that will put her team at a great advantage. Stinky couldn't avoid getting distracted on his turn for the Cascades, ending earlier than expected at 275. Ice Cream covered the damage on her own with 328 for the Tradewinds, giving them a small boost at the midway mark. Roxy picked up only 186 for Freedom on her turn, furthering the deficit against them. Lionel just about secured the game for Commerce in an excellent supporting turn, bashing 919 with confidence to extend the lead so well. Nikolai did very well for the Cascades, making a deep rally with 823, but they still took the loss with 1386 overall. Lorde chipped another 370 for the Tradewinds at the end, giving them a final of 2876 in the win. Commerce rises to 20-28 for the year, while Freedom drops to 13-25.

Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots look to right themselves after a recent skid in the second of a four-game home stand, facing the similarly struggling Prestige. Acorn led off with a modest 319 for Lighton, hardly doing enough to set them up comfortably. Valencia answered with 754 for Golden, including a sublime backhand flick to keep the turn going after an early threat. Her sister, Spirit, did enough for the Prestige to cover the deficit, hitting a strong 582 to keep them competitive in this battle. Dusty didn't maintain the greatest pace for the Pilots, but she had a long turn and doubled their offense by carving out 761. Twinkie I answered with 494 for Lighton, not quite enough for them to cover the deficit. Strut kept the Golden offense at a good balance with his 710, padding their lead once again in the high-scoring effort. Salmo didn't get close enough for the Prestige with his 504, leaving them to take the loss at 1899. A. Charlton wrapped up the win for the Pilots with 519 on her turn, giving them 2744 total in the victory. Golden rises to 28-17 on the year, while Lighton dips to 20-32.

FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks and Hummingbirds are close in the standings, as the visitors begin a four-game road trip that could turn their season around. Princess started her turn a bit slow, but ended up knocking 913 to give Tysini a large initial lead after her appearance. Chelsea completely wiped out that effort, blasting 1080 to give Eastside the early lead. Leandra kept a high pace for the Hummingbirds with 735, covering the deficit in a big way. Taylor found herself in a dangerous position for most of her turn, ending at 449 when she cracked under the pressure for the Sharks. Charli wasted her chance to really help the Tysini lead, falling out of the game at 178 as the visitors become vulnerable. Niki just edged Eastside ahead by the end of her turn with 368, giving them a small lead before the final players take their turns. Brownie put in a sharp challenge with 592 for the Hummingbirds, icing their offense at 2418 and forcing the hosts to reply. Paps stepped up to seal it in favor of the Sharks, with his 599 giving them 2496 in the tight win. Eastside jumps up to 20-26, while Tysini is 16-22 after the disappointing loss.

Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames return home to begin a three-game home stand, hosting a busy Tradewinds side for the game. Tigerette picked up 402 for Commerce at the start, watching her early pace crumble quickly before she settled in. Crystal got beat by a double-deflection that caused her to lift an offering sky-high to end with 192 for Queens in a poor opener. Ice Cream paddled 534 for the Tradewinds in response, adding nicely to their lead with the second attack. Paige is beginning to enter lame-duck status, hitting just 32 for the Flames as the end of her career draws nearer. Lionel picked up only 233 in response for Commerce, enough to keep their lead steady for now. Violetta made up some ground for Queens, but she got caught out of position, ending at 295 after an awkward swing ended her turn. Lorde chipped another 317 for the Tradewinds, giving them a modest final of 1486 that will still offer a challenge for the hosts to match. Max had a poor 135 for the Flames at the end, sealing the brutal losing total at 654. Commerce gets another jump to 21-28, while Queens sinks further to 25-19 with the loss.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks look to end a 13-game home losing streak, but the Surfers promise to be a tough opponent as they begin a six-game road trip. Watermelon led off strongly with 432 for Pearl, giving them a solid foundation. Fluffina served up a stern response with 473 for Maplewood, giving them a slight edge early in the game. The Surfers got a huge response with Neopolitan cranking out 1221 to give them a big lead. Diddley didn't even come close for the Lumberjacks, exiting with 235 as they fall into another deep deficit. Boots tacked on a reasonable 371 for Pearl to pad their lead a bit more. A slight deflection destroyed Bryant's turn for Maplewood, cutting him off at 108 as it becomes clearer that the hosts will lose a 14th straight game at home. Wings provided ample icing with 632 for the Surfers, closing their offense at a likely winning score of 2656. Waluigi tapped 201 for the Lumberjacks, letting them take a loss with 1017. Pearl gets another win as they continue to rise to 21-23, while Maplewood drops to 14-32 with the loss.

Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: Someone will leave happy, as the Crowns' seven-game home losing streak meets a four-game skid on the road for the Spurs. Spice didn't flash her usually dominant skills in this game for Victoria, faltering at 288 in a middling lead-off turn. Nightfur replied with 409 for Royal, giving the hosts a rare early lead. Yekaterina turned things around for the Spurs, slapping a quick 945 to give them a more substantial lead the second time around. Jake firmly shot back with 560 for the Crowns, a wonderful outing but not enough to cover the deficit at the halfway mark. B. Chapman got a lot of it back for Victoria with her 416, keeping the lead quite safe with her effort. Kayla made it a bit closer with 560 herself for Royal, bringing the game to the final players' turns with plenty left to decide. Wario supplied another 314 for the Spurs right at the end, giving them a total of 1963 that they hope will hold up. Hannah came up big enough in the end with 441, stealing the win on her last swing to end the Crowns' comeback with 1970. Royal gets the surprise win to go to 13-31, while Victoria's surge takes a hit down to 23-27.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks try once more to stop their home skid in their fourth of a six-game home stand, while the Predators wrap up a five-game road trip in this week's finale. Shawn immediately set the tone favorably for Midland, racking up 697 in a great opener. Maplewood got a good response with 409 from Fluffina, but they remain noticeably behind for now. Rainmane struggled with pace and distractions for the Predators, crashing out a bit low at 199. Diddley evened the score with his 487 for the Lumberjacks, leaving the game to be decided by the backs of each roster. Leonardo rattled off 544 for Midland with effortless pace, restoring a healthy lead for the visitors after his appearance. Bryant couldn't quite keep up with 467 for Maplewood, but either team has a shot at the win here. Fuchsia laced another 399 for the Predators at the end, giving them a final of 1839. Waluigi predictably came up short at 250 for the Lumberjacks, sealing their 15th straight home loss at 1613. Midland gets another boost up to 28-20, while Maplewood drops to 14-33 in a lost year.

That's it for this week of games. We'll have standings and players of the week up on Twitter within the hour, @UnitedPCL. Week 24 will likely get underway on Sunday or Monday at the earliest. Remember, we are in a break from Tournament action until July 3.

UPCL Cricket - Week 23 Part 2

The middle segment of Week 23 is on the way, beginning with a big game in...

Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles begin a three-game home stand with this Northeast Divisional, the Arrows' final division game of the year, and their fourth of a five-game road trip. Sally didn't make it easy at all with 661 for Archtown at the start, giving them a hefty lead. Goldy failed to get quite that comfortable, leading off with a pathetic 28 for Everton in a slow start for the hosts. Sleepy B. lacked pace on her turn as well, bowing out at 44 for the Arrows in what could be the beginning of some sloppy play. Puff III quickly turned things around for the Eagles, giving them the lead by carving out 1040 in an excellent appearance. Ruby couldn't recover enough for Archtown with her 106, keeping them at a deficit. Kirstin didn't do much more for Everton with her 176, but they retain the lead with a player each to go. Dusky fired back at pace for the Arrows, clobbering 719 to give them a final of 1530 for the game. Blizzard did well with 557 for the Eagles, enough to give them 1801 and the win when the game ended. Everton improves to 27-20, while Archtown is 24-23, and ends Northeast Division play at 5-5.

BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers meet the Union in an Urban Division, with the visitors taking a short break in a home stretch for this local road battle. Ms. Puppy made a statement right at the start for Modernistic, slashing 726 to give them a great starting point. Misty hardly flinched at all for Westside, answering with 674 to keep it close in the early going. Daisy maintained a respectable pace with 501 for the Union, boosting their lead a bit. Goatee took a bit of a stumble with only 234 for the Rockers, putting them farther behind at the halfway mark. Puff I pounced with 1046 for Modernistic, slugging them to a possibly unreachable height. Midnight didn't provide much of a challenge with her paltry 128 for Westside, furthering the deficit facing the hosts. Strawberry tapped 283 for the Union at the end to give them 2556 total. Slinks brought the Rockers some respect with her 970-point effort, but they fell far short at 2006. Modernistic gets the surprising win against their rivals, going to 20-22 with their first division win of the year, while Westside is 32-17.

Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: In the S-Line Derby, the Monarchs are set to host the league-leading Blades for a game that could result in an upset with the right bounces. Snowball learned about bounces the hard way, as a ball got over her bat and took out her wicket with just 171 to start Swordpoint's offense. Panda gained the lead for Southern with 336, but they don't have a lot of room for error. Dreamy continued the slow play to start the Blades' six-game road trip, producing a meager 80 on her turn. Hoppy chipped another 320 for the Monarchs, adding to their lead but still not enough to be comfortable. Bandit erased the deficit with ease, crushing 1022 for Swordpoint to put them in the lead with the good turn. Pounce reclaimed the lead for Southern with 696, although the lead has shrunk despite his good turn. Stealth didn't get much traction with 264 for the Blades, leaving them at a final of 1537. Shannon tacked on 319 for the Monarchs, completing the upset to give them a final of 1671. Southern's win carries them to 16-23, while Swordpoint falls out of first place once again to drop to 37-17.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades begin a tripleheader at home, bringing in the Sharpshooters for their last road game for awhile. Chris didn't waste any time in getting Capital City going with 720 on this turn, a strong mark from the visiting captain. Jasmine answered with 565 for Freedom, churning through a slow start to get a solid performance on the record. Missy fired back with 583 for the Sharpshooters, putting them further ahead with the effort. Stinky had two false starts for the Cascades and still couldn't straighten out his swing, ending at 117 in a poor outing. Sprinkles answered with 595 more for Capital City, padding their lead quite nicely with the performance. Roxy lost more ground with 322 for Freedom, keeping them far back as the final players come to bat. Nicole batted 450 in a strong game for the Sharpshooters, ending their offense at 2348. Nikolai tried to rally, but fell short with 379 for the Cascades, leaving them at 1383 in the devastating loss. Capital City regains a positive record at 25-24, while Freedom drops to 12-21.

BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers continue their three-game home stand by hosting the Cascades, who are in the middle of their tripleheader in this game. Jasmine had her worst road game of the year in this appearance, taking a poor 16 for Freedom at the start of the game. Misty countered with 842 for Westside, putting them far ahead in the early going. Stinky covered the deficit well for the Cascades with his 873, giving them a narrow lead for now. Goatee lost control of most of the Rockers lead with her 168, but they still have a slight edge at the midway point. Roxy put in a modest 248 for Freedom, covering the deficit again but not by much. Midnight fought it off with 250 for Westside herself, the close exchange doing nothing to separate the teams late in the game. Nikolai had a hesitant swing, which went out of bounds and ended his turn at 33, giving the Cascades another loss with 1170 total. Slinks did barely any better, but her 48 sealed up a Rockers win at 1308. Westside bounces back to 33-17, while Freedom sinks further to 12-22.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades return home to reach midseason at the end of their tripleheader, hosting an Arrows team regressing after a recent surge. Sally appeared to lack confidence in her swing, diving hard and falling at 128 for Archtown in a weak start. Jasmine covered the deficit easily, opening with 552 for Freedom to give them their best start of this stretch. The Arrows pulled ahead temporarily on the back of a 522-point performance from Sleepy B., a good outing from the veteran. Stinky nearly matched that himself, drilling 512 to restore a reasonably strong lead for the Cascades. Ruby squeezed a bit more out on an optional replay, but her 202 did little to help Archtown. Roxy shot back with 456 for Freedom in a good outing, padding their lead once again later in the game. Dusky hit 401 for the Arrows, good individually but not enough as they take the loss at 1253 to end their five-game road trip. Nikolai took a small 120 for the Cascades at the end, sealing their win at 1640. Freedom salvages the tripleheader a bit to go to 13-22, while Archtown sinks to 24-24 in the loss.

Cisco Tysini Field, Tysini: The Hummingbirds and Tradewinds jockey for position in this game despite neither having much chance of making the playoffs. Tigerette never managed to establish herself for Commerce, quickly falling with 48 as her backhand let her down. Princess gave Tysini a noticeable lead with 359 on a solid effort for her turn. Ice Cream didn't quite have her swing on point for the Tradewinds, plodding along until her finish with 290. Leandra lost ground for the Hummingbirds, her 162 giving them a smaller lead halfway through the game. Lionel got a bit distracted for Commerce, falling at 45 as they just can't cover the shrinking deficit. Charli absolutely blasted Tysini ahead for good with 1525 on her turn, coming out of nowhere to decide the game a bit early. Lorde put up 152 for the Tradewinds, but they've had diminishing returns as they lose with 535 this time in a terrible road game. Brownie went with 270 for the Hummingbirds at the end, icing their win at 2316. Tysini jumps to 16-21, while Commerce falls to 19-27.

Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The league-leading Swifts get their chance to hold the top spot for awhile if they can defeat their Southeastern rivals, the Predators, in the toughest test of their five-game road trip. Shawn made quite the impact with 631 for Midland at the start of this game, giving them a stable base. Patches kept it very close for Boston with her 623, leaving the rest of the rosters to decide the game. Rainmane fired right back with 567 for the Predators, restoring a sizable lead for the visitors. Puff II clubbed 1109 in response for the Swifts, setting them distinctly ahead at the midway mark. Leonardo kept the pace of the game high with 831 for Midland on his turn, covering the deficit well. Gradley couldn't quite pull Boston even on his turn, with 288 to his credit as the finish should be about as close as the start. Fuchsia did well with 418 for the Predators, bringing their final score to 2467 overall in the high-scoring game. Sweetheart put in a good effort with 359 for the Swifts, but she came up short, and their nine-game home winning streak snapped as they fell with 2379. Midland's upset win takes them to 26-20, while Boston is 32-15 and bad against the division.

Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles hope to continue their renaissance in their second of a three-game home stand, as they host a struggling Cascades team. Jasmine got beat on a bad deflection early in her turn for Freedom, ending at only 108 in a poor opening turn. Goldy belted 1454 in response to give Everton a huge lead, a strong recovery from her slow start to the appearance. Stinky got less than half of the damage covered for the Cascades, exiting at a strong 679. Puff III kept things steady for the Eagles at the midway mark with her 421. Roxy put another dent in the deficit for Freedom, slinging 610 to bring the visitors closer after their disastrous start. Kirstin shot back with 483 for Everton on her turn, keeping their lead strong enough again as the final players come to bat. Nikolai couldn't complete the Cascades rally, ending on 290 to give them a losing final of 1687. Blizzard made a quick exit with 28 for the Eagles, bringing their total to 2386 in the win despite her sloppy finish. Everton rises to 28-20, while Freedom falls to 13-23.

Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents put their undefeated division record on the line when they host tough Eastern Hills rivals in the Pirates. Delila couldn't have stopped all the offerings that approached her, choosing to go backhand but not recovering in time as she ends with 248 for Atlantic. Precious put Pronger slightly ahead with 351, but the margin is still small early in the game. Isabella showed a sturdier side to the Pirates offense by slicing 523 in the second attack to give them a better lead. Zach held his own quite well for the Tridents, bumping 580 to keep them in the lead. Americus couldn't keep her swing on target long enough for Atlantic, falling with 144 while failing to cover the deficit. Spot answered with 487 for Pronger on his turn, adding a bit more padding to their lead ahead of the final players' turns. Klaus had to accept 591 for the Pirates, unsure of his ability to cover the deficit if he took a replay. The visitors close the game at 1506 total. Potter kept the Tridents balanced and victorious with 515, giving them a final score of 1933 in the win. Pronger rises to 25-19, while Atlantic is 30-22 after the loss.

Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The Swifts look to reclaim first place if they can win this game, the first of a three-game road trip for the Knights. Kiwi had a reasonably good opener for Terrace City with her 482, giving them a solid foundation. Patches did not play well for Boston at all, struggling with pace throughout her turn before bailing at 294 to put them at a deficit. Jennifer got caught on a technical error, then false-started on the replay before posting 271 in a mediocre turn for the Knights. Puff II darted forward with 656 for the Swifts, covering the deficit as the hosts hold the midgame lead. Oreo covered the deficit well with 376 for Terrace City, giving them at least a temporary lead. Gradley reclaimed a shrinking lead for Boston with his 280, leaving it a bit close at the end of the game. Stripes made quite the rally with 585 for the Knights at the end, setting their final score at 1714. Sweetheart collapsed with 115 for the Swifts, icing their losing score at 1345. Terrace City gets a gritty win to go to 29-21, while Boston drops to 32-16, into a tie for third place.

BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers look to join the tie for third place in the finale of their three-game home stand, hosting the Predators in their fourth of five straight on the road. Shawn thought he had a decent pace going, but it quickly went bad and he fell with only 199 for Midland. Misty barely did any better for Westside, grabbing 250 to give them a modest lead initially. Rainmane had a more respectable 433 for the Predators on the second attack, giving them a better lead this time. Goatee answered with 318 for the Rockers, unable to retain the lead for the hosts as the game remains close. Leonardo popped another 527 for Midland on his turn, extending their lead quite nicely with the effort. Midnight couldn't keep her patience for Westside on her turn, skying a ball to end with 372 as they fall a bit farther behind with a player each to go. Fuchsia smacked another 586 for the Predators, giving them a final score of 1745. Slinks turned in another poor performance for the Rockers, hitting a pathetic 20 as they took the loss on 960 total. Midland has turned into somewhat of a giant killer, going to 27-20, while Westside crashed to 33-18.

That's it for this segment. We'll have the end of this week done by tomorrow. The delay incurred was due to a computer problem I had. Given my upcoming personal schedule, and the wait I'm still having to resolve lingering effects from the problem, Tournament action will not resume until July 3. Until then, when I can play and publish, all action on here will be for cricket.

Freedom Cascades at Midseason

The Freedom Cascades are the last team to reach midseason this year, and they've pretty much limped their way to this point. Without making any changes to their roster, the Cascades are struggling at 13-22 overall for the season, including a 2-2 record against their fellow Eastern Hills Division teams. The Cascades are 6-10 at home, while they have gone 7-12 on the road, neither a mark to brag about. The Cascades offense clocks in at 1478 points per game, another point of concern, and without fatigue, there's little explanation to what has gone wrong. Jasmine remains a strong captain, hitting over 450 points per game, and she's also their only player who excels on the road. Roxy has stepped up well with about 370 points per game, but Stinky at 340 and Nikolai and 310 have been weaker spots for the Cascades. They also have no explosive talent, although the strong and steady efforts from Jasmine are probably more appreciated. The Cascades should not expect to make the playoffs, as playing their remaining 35 games over the next 12 and a half weeks will likely fatigue them. One positive: their play in pool will likely keep this squad intact next season.